Amdouni

[RVclaret]

Benfica unlikely to trigger the option to sign him permanently, according to reports in Portugal.

Wonder what happens with him? Would you take him back for the Prem, on the basis he can buy into this team? I wonder if, in this ‘new’ environment, we could see more from him?

I follow him on Instagram and he did a post congratulating the club & Brownhill still comments on his posts. Interesting one, would save us going and spending on that area of the pitch?

[Woodleyclaret]

Brilliant news Zeki is a class player who can serve us well next season

[blatherwickstattoos]

Great news for us. He’s a cracking player and under parker would be even better

[BurnleyFC]

If he wants to play for us, then he’d likely be a good asset next season.

[GetIntoEm]

Absolutely have him back, one of the bright sparks about last year's team for me

[ksrclaret]

On that recently released Josh Brownhill video, he talks about all the players sprinting back when we lose the ball. Amdouni never did that. Whether that was purely a product of the culture of last season, I don’t know. Maybe Parker could bring it out of him.

He is talented though and Parker did have him around the squad before the Benfica loan.

[agreenwood]

He played in 2 of the first 3 games for us, so presumably Parker got a good look at him last summer.

Guess much will depend on whether Amdouni wants to stay and Parker thinks he can contribute.

[CoolClaret]

If SP wants him, then he'll do for me.

I'm sceptical. His touch never impressed me, and in far too many games, he was a passenger. He is undoubtedly a talent.

SP has done enough to trust his judgement on this one. To his credit, I recall in the Sunderland away game when he was brought on he made a real attempt to try and effect the game - to a level I hadn't seen too many times from him before.

[RVclaret]

If SP wants him, then he'll do for me.

I'm sceptical. His touch never impressed me, and in far too many games, he was a passenger. He is undoubtedly a talent.

SP has done enough to trust his judgement on this one. To his credit, I recall in the Sunderland away game when he was brought on he made a real attempt to try and effect the game - to a level I hadn't seen too many times from him before.

Yeah, he was the only one on our side who looked like a footballer that day! Bizarre game & remarkable there was just 1 more defeat after that.

[jrgbfc]

I thought they'd signed him in January! Not sure he's what we need next season when we'll be trying to keep it tight and grind out results.

[Murger]

Might save us a few bob in having to sign an attacker.

[claretspice]

He was a player who needed far more time than we could offer to adapt to Premier League football. For all that he's a good player, I'm not sure the last year will have helped with that process and I'm not sure that you can really hold him, Edwards and Tresor in a squad, or indeed have more than one of them on the pitch at a time.

[Papabendi]

Isn't the start point to ask why Benfica don't want him?

[Murger]

He was a player who needed far more time than we could offer to adapt to Premier League football. For all that he's a good player, I'm not sure the last year will have helped with that process and I'm not sure that you can really hold him, Edwards and Tresor in a squad, or indeed have more than one of them on the pitch at a time.

Tresor will most likely go anyway.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Could be great news.

Zeki was “one of the good guys” according to Roberts if I recall, he seemed popular in the squad, is young, is improving, and is on a 5 year contract on (according to the footie finance sites) about 30,000 per week. His value will not drop yet.

Whether he is physical enough for the style Parker prefers is another matter but as long as Scott has a choice that is the main thing.

Personally I think we need goals and in the PL at No. 10 we don’t need a Flemming or Brownhill every single week, may need cleverer options at times.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Isn't the start point to ask why Benfica don't want him?

€18m or whatever is a lot of dosh for a Portugese side.

[bumba]

Walks in to the team ahead of Flemming for me, if he stayed this season he'd have scored 30+ goals

[ksrclaret]

Walks in to the team ahead of Flemming for me, if he stayed this season he'd have scored 30+ goals

I think this sort of thing was the Vincent Kompany approach to team spirit and loyalty.

[boatshed bill]

Tresor will most likely go anyway.

Has Tresor been around the squad lately? Was he celebrating our success?

[RVclaret]

Walks in to the team ahead of Flemming for me, if he stayed this season he'd have scored 30+ goals

See, Flemming has earned the right & is a real battler with a physical presence, while sometimes lacking technically you can’t argue about his commitment & desire. One might say the opposite was true for Amdouni last season, on the pitch at least.

[claretspice]

Walks in to the team ahead of Flemming for me, if he stayed this season he'd have scored 30+ goals

They aren't comparable players. Flemming has a physicality that makes him a target (even if he's having to learn to be a number 9). Amdouni never had that and as a result we struggled to find a role for him at times. He's not a number 9, he's not a winger and he's not a midfielder. And newly promoted teams can never really afford an out and out number 10.

[Rowls]

He's got the ability. We saw minute glimpses of it last season and a little dose with his goal this season.

Whether this Benfica passing up on him is a good thing remains to be seen. All depends on attitude and application.

[RVclaret]

They aren't comparable players. Flemming has a physicality that makes him a target (even if he's having to learn to be a number 9). Amdouni never had that and as a result we struggled to find a role for him at times. He's not a number 9, he's not a winger and he's not a midfielder. And newly promoted teams can never really afford an out and out number 10.

If Parker switches to the 5-2-3 / 3-4-3 he played in the cup at Southampton and Luton, for example, you can probably say Amdouni or Edwards could take the ‘right sided 10’ position in that system, alongside the work rate of say Hannibal/Brownhill and Flemming.

[claretspice]

If Parker switches to the 5-2-3 / 3-4-3 he played in the cup at Southampton and Luton, for example, you can probably say Amdouni or Edwards could take the ‘right sided 10’ position in that system, alongside the work rate of say Hannibal/Brownhill and Flemming.

You could. But you still can't play him and Edwards in the same team and he's still something of a luxury.

[Nonayforever]

If he wants to play for us, then he’d likely be a good asset next season.

He wanted out as soon as we were relegated. Wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

[Longsider]

This is good news. Get him back as soon as possible

[mybloodisclaret]

He wanted out as soon as we were relegated. Wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

That's why he ran his socks off at Sunderland when many others had already downed tools / left?

That's why Roberts absolutely loves him? I think we know what Roberts does / says to players who didn't do the business for us.... (Weghorst).

I think if he is up for the challenge there is no harm getting him back. Of course he may still want to leave having not enjoyed the Prem last time.

[bumba]

They aren't comparable players. Flemming has a physicality that makes him a target (even if he's having to learn to be a number 9). Amdouni never had that and as a result we struggled to find a role for him at times. He's not a number 9, he's not a winger and he's not a midfielder. And newly promoted teams can never really afford an out and out number 10.

Flemming gives away a lot of needless fouls or the ref ignores him because he's thrown himself on the floor, Flemming isn't a number 9, he isn't a winger, he isn't a midfielder and as you say we can't afford an out an out number 10 so all your points to Amdouni relate to Flemming too.
The difference between them is Amdouni is far better technically and a much better finisher

[CrosspoolClarets]

They aren't comparable players. Flemming has a physicality that makes him a target (even if he's having to learn to be a number 9). Amdouni never had that and as a result we struggled to find a role for him at times. He's not a number 9, he's not a winger and he's not a midfielder. And newly promoted teams can never really afford an out and out number 10.

How does Ramsey come into that logic?

I tend to view him more as a 10 than deeper. Maybe a touch more defensive than Amdouni but not by much.

[Holtyclaret]

Has Tresor been around the squad lately? Was he celebrating our success?

He was on the pitch after the game on Monday

[Elizabeth]

If this is true, hopefully we can loan him out again. Fell well short of PL level for me and while Parker has many attributes, a miracle worker he is not.

[beddie]

He wanted out as soon as we were relegated. Wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

I’m not sure that’s true. Parker knows him. Didn’t he do a full pre season with us. Yes 100% I’d have him back.

[Hibsclaret]

That system at Southampton worked well and as bad as Southampton are our team had more changes than them from the previous league game. Therefore, using the same system in some away games with better personnel (our first choice team) may work on occasions. I don’t see a problem with a player of Amdouni’s quality sharing minutes with the likes of Edwards. Amdouni has been sub quite a bit this season for Champions league and league games so has certainly still been exposed to quality defences.

[claretspice]

How does Ramsey come into that logic?

I tend to view him more as a 10 than deeper. Maybe a touch more defensive than Amdouni but not by much.

Ramsey has a physicality and athleticism that Amdouni absolutely does not. Ramsey would I suspect ultimately consider himself an 8 not a 10. But yes, the presence of Ramsey as a technically gifted attack minded midfielder (if fully fit) is certainly a reason why we don't need a surfeit of creative but lightweight inside forward.

[Quickenthetempo]

Great news for us if true. A year away with such a big club full of technical players should have done him the world of good.

He is cool as a cucumber with a decent football brain and technique.

All our players will need to be Premier league quality at something.

We might only need two really fast/physical players now (if no major outgoings) one up front and one in Central midfield.

[fidelcastro]

No thanks.

[wilks_bfc]

Can we really judge if any player is “upto the task” in the Premier League, when their only experience there is the **** show of the 23/24 season?

[Vegas Claret]

well, at least he didn't refuse to play at Sunderland like some others.

[Cirrus_Minor]

Not for me

[jedi_master]

I wasn’t a fan of his, but I’ll say one thing for him - he continued to play when he was clearly leaving, including Sunderland away. He has my respect for that when so many around him were downing tools.

Personally I’d sell him if we can get our money back or thereabouts as he doesn’t have the physicality or workrate in my opinion for a relegation battle. That said, I’ll trust Parker’s decisions on him if he feels differently. Clean slate if he’s retained.

[fidelcastro]

Does anyone know if Benfica can't afford the fee or is it down to the way he's performed for them?

[CrosspoolClarets]

Ramsey has a physicality and athleticism that Amdouni absolutely does not. Ramsey would I suspect ultimately consider himself an 8 not a 10. But yes, the presence of Ramsey as a technically gifted attack minded midfielder (if fully fit) is certainly a reason why we don't need a surfeit of creative but lightweight inside forward.

Yeh, I sort of get that, but Amdouni is taller, heavier, a better header, stronger, and I think plays with more physicality than Ramsey. Who I like by the way. He has the physique of a PL player even if he was slow to adapt to the intensity. All the stats the clubs use will back up these observations and the club will have exact data from these players on what they can lift in the gym etc.

If we sign a holding midfielder such as Billing to play alongside Cullen and a big quick target man experienced at this level I would have fewer concerns with Amdouni in between them and with Edwards and Anthony on the wings.

We have to try to stick with our own players where we can, and Amdouni is one of them, albeit not one ingrained with Parker’s methods for long.

[ClaretTony]

I wasn’t a fan of his, but I’ll say one thing for him - he continued to play when he was clearly leaving, including Sunderland away. He has my respect for that when so many around him were downing tools.

Personally I’d sell him if we can get our money back or thereabouts as he doesn’t have the physicality or workrate in my opinion for a relegation battle. That said, I’ll trust Parker’s decisions on him if he feels differently. Clean slate if he’s retained.

You weren't the only one - there was a demand on here for him to be left out of the side at times.

But he came on as a sub at Sunderland while others were refusing to play, as you said, so he clearly has a better attitude than some did.

[claretspice]

Yeh, I sort of get that, but Amdouni is taller, heavier, a better header, stronger, and I think plays with more physicality than Ramsey. Who I like by the way. He has the physique of a PL player even if he was slow to adapt to the intensity. All the stats the clubs use will back up these observations and the club will have exact data from these players on what they can lift in the gym etc.

If we sign a holding midfielder such as Billing to play alongside Cullen and a big quick target man experienced at this level I would have fewer concerns with Amdouni in between them and with Edwards and Anthony on the wings.

We have to try to stick with our own players where we can, and Amdouni is one of them, albeit not one ingrained with Parker’s methods for long.

You think Amdouni is more physical than Ramsey? Fair enough..I certainly didn't see that.

[Poulton-le-Claret]

Does anyone know if Benfica can't afford the fee or is it down to the way he's performed for them?

I haven't looked further than the stats, but they suggest he hasn't been playing amazingly. In the league since December, it's 1 goal, 1 assist and averaging about 60ish minutes playing time per game.

Would be interesting to hear from anyone who has watched Benfica regularly.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/zeki-am ... ler/548729

[fidelcastro]

I haven't looked further than the stats, but they suggest he hasn't been playing amazingly. In the league since December, it's 1 goal, 1 assist and averaging about 60ish minutes playing time per game.

Would be interesting to hear from anyone who has watched Benfica regularly.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/zeki-am ... ler/548729

So, he was awful for us last time in the PL, and apparently hasn't been very good for Benfica all season, yet some on here can't wait to have him back.

Strange logic some folk.

[CoolClaret]

Walks in to the team ahead of Flemming for me, if he stayed this season he'd have scored 30+ goals

Playing upfront?

Not sure we'd have been as effective. He's hardly torn it up in Portugal either.

What I like about Flemming is that his goals tend to be important goals that directly win points - not like the second or third goal in a 2/3-0 win or whatever, his contributions in tight games, and ability to score goals out of nowhere were massive for us.

[BabylonClaret]

Well that's a massive shame. Was hoping we'd have some money to buy a player who might actually make a bit of a difference.

[TsarBomba]

I wasn’t a fan of his, but I’ll say one thing for him - he continued to play when he was clearly leaving, including Sunderland away. He has my respect for that when so many around him were downing tools.

Personally I’d sell him if we can get our money back or thereabouts as he doesn’t have the physicality or workrate in my opinion for a relegation battle. That said, I’ll trust Parker’s decisions on him if he feels differently. Clean slate if he’s retained.

My thoughts exactly.

[Roosterbooster]

I think he's got bags of potential. Only 24. In a suitable system, and a manager prepared to use him effectively, then I think he could be an asset. I think he got quite a bit of unfair criticism last season